


The Challenge of the Avant-Garde

by mrs_leary (julie)



Category: Merlin (TV) RPF
Genre: Multi, Theatre, Threesome - M/M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-04
Updated: 2018-05-04
Packaged: 2019-05-02 01:50:40
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,275
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14534073
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/julie/pseuds/mrs_leary
Summary: To quote the prompt:Alex and Colin are in a raunchy new play in a ridiculous indy theatre in London. Bradley goes along to the premiere and gets … inspired.





	The Challenge of the Avant-Garde

**Author's Note:**

  * For [scribblemoose](https://archiveofourown.org/users/scribblemoose/gifts).



> Written for the **Merlin RPF Prompt Fest 2018** , to a prompt on Dreamwidth by **scribblemoose**.

# The Challenge of the Avant-Garde 

♦

The theatre was one of those off-off-West End places where the ramshackle old seating was as challenging to his rear as the content of the plays was to his mind and emotions. Still, Bradley endured the full ninety minutes (with no intermission) despite the fact that most of the latter scenes involved Colin and Alex’s characters slowly shedding their clothes, item by item, until both were dressed only in briefs that left absolutely nothing to the imagination. _Three cheers for the avant-garde,_ Bradley sardonically remarked to himself, as the two actors took their bows to hearty applause. _Or is it actually the oldest and most well-established way to attract an audience … ?_

The guy who tended the bar and kept an eye on the stage door recognised him, so Bradley was waved through. He had to find his own way through the warren of corridors, though, and finally arrived completely unannounced – only to discover Colin and Alex circling each other in the middle of a small, shabby dressing room, wholly intent on each other. Bradley stalled in the shadows of the hallway, watching them for a few moments, unable to decide whether they were about to shift into a waltz or a wrestling match.

Apparently he’d guessed wrong, though, for – as they finally drew close and began to grapple with each other – it seemed a kiss was the intention rather than a fight or dance. And not a grateful, respectful or even affectionate kiss, but a devouring one, so passionate as to almost be angry, as if they’d both _finally_ been released from theatrical protocols into a raw honest hunger. 

Well. Bradley supposed he should really beat a hasty retreat, and at least go wait for them in the bar. He didn’t want to leave altogether, for this would be his one chance of seeing Colin while in England. Though it seemed there was every chance of Colin not particularly wanting to see Bradley that night … Colin obviously had quite other things on his mind right now than an old friend who’d certainly never had the kind of benefits that Alex apparently enjoyed. _All right,_ Bradley concluded, _time to leave them to … whatever this is._

But with disastrous timing, just as Bradley was about to turn away, a door slammed somewhere deep in the building – and a startled Colin broke the kiss and looked across. Directly at Bradley.

They stared at each other for a long moment. Alex was starting to turn around to see what the matter was. Bradley said, weakly, “Hi!” adding a ridiculous wave for good measure. And Colin’s expression turned cold and remote.

“Bradley,” Colin said in thick tones, stepping back from Alex’s loosened embrace. “Thought you’d be here for press night.”

“No, I had to swap to the preview. I’m flying back to the States tomorrow. Didn’t want to miss it.”

Alex stepped forward, offering his hand to shake. “I’m so glad you could make it,” he said, just as heartily as was normal for him. “It’s good to see you, Bradley. What did you think … ?”

“Well,” said Bradley, lifting his eyes, seeking inspiration from the low ceiling, and determinedly _not noticing_ that Alex and Colin were still in what remained of their costumes, and there was certainly a whole lot of interest being expressed in each other down there. It didn’t help that Bradley was all too aware he himself was in much the same state. “Um …”

Colin’s pale cheekbones had actually flushed – and he turned away now, quickly disappearing through a door in the far corner of the room. Alex was way cooler, way more worldly. He began shrugging on his own clothes, beginning with a top, and then a light coat which was long enough to allow him to modestly shuck the briefs before pulling on his own less revealing pair. All the while, Alex was carrying on what passed as a normal conversation with Bradley. 

“A bit in-your-face, wasn’t it?” Alex remarked. 

“Um … you could say that,” Bradley agreed.

“I do enjoy a challenge!”

Bradley frowned in thought. “Being challenged, or being _a_ challenge?”

“Both!” Alex replied with a bright grin, as Bradley had known he would.

Alex was pretty much fully dressed by now, and he turned away to reorganise some stuff on the dressing table, and slip his wallet and keys into his pockets. He was rattling on about something, but Bradley had tuned him out. Because Bradley was falling prey to fears that Colin had disappeared entirely and Alex was just wasting time so as to cover for him – 

But then Colin came back through, fully dressed and in his outdoor gear, complete with beanie pulled down as low as it would go and backpack slung over one shoulder. 

“Heading off,” Colin muttered, looking generally in Alex’s direction. 

“Your director’s not giving you notes?” Bradley asked. 

Colin’s gaze flicked towards him. “Tomorrow.”

“Come along, then,” Alex cheerily said, finishing up and stepping towards the door where Bradley still hovered uncertainly. “ _He_ can come, too, right?” Alex threw back over his shoulder to Colin.

Then Alex had passed by, and Colin was left there staring at Bradley almost in fright, his face paler still and his eyes brilliantly wide. Then Colin stepped past, too, leaving Bradley behind, and calling after Alex, “Not back to mine!”

Bradley, in the very bravest or perhaps the most utterly stupid move he’d ever made, stumbled after them. “My hotel’s nearby!” 

In the dim corridor, he almost ran right into Colin, who’d paused to look back at him in confusion. Bradley explained, “I’ve rented out my place, and they needed to move in. So I’m in a hotel for a couple of nights. Two blocks away.”

“How convenient!” Alex said, still determinedly leading the way. 

Colin continued to stare at Bradley, his expression completely unreadable. Bradley stood there, suffering through it as stoically as he could. And then at last Colin turned forward again, and followed after Alex, apparently having decided to acquiesce in this change of plans. 

Which was how Bradley James found himself in the midst of a threesome with Alexander Vlahos and Colin Morgan. 

♦

It was obvious the two of them had been with each other before, and often enough to be completely familiar with each other’s wants. They were both urgent with need, and were already bringing each other off while Bradley was still trying to process the confusion of being naked in bed along with too many limbs, too many mouths and hands, too many cocks …

Once Alex and Colin had taken the edge off their own hunger, though, they turned to concentrate on him, and things began making some kind of weird and wonderful sense to Bradley. Not that he had ever quite imagined such a thing happening to him, but Colin – after throwing another unreadable stare his way – slid down to lie between Bradley’s spread thighs, and with no warning went down on him with relentless intent. 

Bradley cried out, his body arching up off the bed, and at last he was properly in the zone, his self-consciousness burned away by a sudden passion. Alex laughed in delight, and wriggled in to press close down Bradley’s side, leaning in to kiss him mouth to mouth. Alex’s hands began wandering where they would – obvious targets like Bradley’s nipples, and less obvious ones like his stomach … though that became more and more obvious as Alex’s flat hand pressed down closer and closer to where Colin was working, prompting Bradley’s muscles to flex and focussing his attention in intriguing ways. 

And he knew, Bradley finally fully _knew_ , that he wanted Colin to be kissing him, not Alex – but he also knew that ( _oh my god_ ) he was perfectly happy with Colin’s mouth right where it was. He’d never experienced such … such powerful desire and its perfect answer all at once. Just the thought of it was enough to push him to the edge – he broke away from Alex’s kiss and pressed his head back into the pillows, opening his throat for a full shout – and Colin likewise took him down deep, while his palms pressed Bradley’s thighs open wider still – and Alex suckled at a nipple while he dug his fingers into the flesh of Bradley’s rear as Bradley bucked up off the bed … 

The orgasm was so intense that Bradley utterly collapsed afterwards, physically of course, but he also fell into not-knowing, and afterwards he wondered if he’d just been trying to hide, too overwhelmed to cope with these strangely loving strangers.

♦

When Bradley came to, Alex was still pressed heavily down his side, dozing now, and Colin was lying just beyond him, tucked in close and in much the same state. Bradley watched them both for long moments, pondering. Trying to remember that brief configuration in which it had all made sense to him. But the notion wafted away, like a dream on waking. 

He carefully disengaged and shifted off the bed. Padded barefoot through to the bathroom, and relieved himself. Then he shrugged on one of the hotel’s bathrobes, and quietly headed out to the balcony. 

London at night, viewed from several floors up in the mild air of spring – London seemed surprisingly peaceful. Bradley stood there contemplating the colourful lights spreading out before him on the soft darkness, all the way to the horizon. He loved London, and in many ways it still felt like home. It definitely felt like home that night.

In a little while, Colin appeared quietly at Bradley’s elbow, and leaned there on the balcony railing beside him. Colin had put on his shirt and briefs so he was decent, but Bradley was tinglingly aware of the naked body just below those token coverings. 

“Hey,” said Colin, gently. 

“Hey,” Bradley replied, likewise.

“All right?”

“Yeah, absolutely.” Bradley turned to smile at his friend, and it all felt absurdly comfortable even though Colin obviously knew Bradley was overstating the matter. “Yes, I’m fine,” Bradley said, knowing that Colin would read that was indeed the case.

“Good.” Colin tipped his head back towards the room and the bed and Alex. “Still. Not quite what you had planned for tonight.”

Bradley laughed under his breath. “No, not quite.”

They were quiet again for long peaceful moments, and it felt as if something between them – some long-ignored fault, some unacknowledged fracture – had finally healed. Perhaps it was time – 

“Col,” said Bradley – 

Just as Colin said, “Bradley –”

And Bradley nodded to indicate that Colin should continue. 

“Look,” said Colin, “he’ll be waking up soon, and he’ll be wanting another round. Always a bit quick off the mark to start with. But if you’re not up for that –”

Astonishing! “You’re going to throw me out of my own hotel room?!” Bradley demanded in some dudgeon.

“No! No, of course not. I was just gonna say – I’ll get him out of here, if you want. I’ll take him back to mine, which was where we were meant to be anyway. I mean, if you’ve had enough already.”

Bradley shrugged. He didn’t want to be so uncool as to refuse the offer of more sex, but on the other hand it _was_ all a bit outside his comfort zone. He _liked_ Alex, though not really like _that_ – but the chance of more with Colin … oh my, the chance of maybe … Bradley cleared his throat, and tried to think about something less provoking. 

The problem was that he was leaving for the States the very next day, so it wasn’t as if he could ask for another hook-up or even a date any time soon. 

Bradley turned to gaze at his friend, and let himself feel the full force of his own yearning. This – _this_ was what he’d been looking for all along. He was sure of it now. 

“Col –”

“Yes?”

“I was wondering if … No, well, before that. This thing with you and Alex. Is it serious?”

Colin pondered for a moment or two, watching Bradley as if trying to gain a sense of the context for the question. Bradley didn’t offer any clues. Or not deliberately, anyway. Finally Colin said, “No, not really. It’s just the juncture of time and place. This play … this motivation … It won’t last beyond that.”

Bradley nodded. “Next time I’m back in London, then. Or next time you’re in the States?” He was blushing, but he forged ahead. “I’d like to see you.”

A small smile dawned on Colin’s sweet lips. 

“I mean, just you … and me, too, obviously.”

The smile quirked, and Colin murmured, “Understood.”

“What do you think?”

“I think I’d like that, too.”

A grin burst through Bradley, and no doubt made him look like the goofiest of fools – but a particularly happy goofy fool, and that was the important thing. “Good,” he said. 

“Good,” Colin agreed. And then he stepped forward, and with a mouth as tender as the spring air, he kissed Bradley to seal the promise. 

It was sweet, just the sweetest thing. They stood there for a while, in each other’s arms, resting forehead to forehead, and simply settled into this newfound understanding.

But then, inevitably, they could hear Alex stirring inside. Colin’s smile turned wry. “In the meantime … shall we go indulge this madman? This _delightful_ madman?”

“Why not?” Bradley stoutly replied. “I’ve still got a few wild oats left in me to sow.”

Colin pushed in to kiss him again, and then awarded him an approving look, before turning to lead the way inside.

“Oh good, you’re back, both of you,” said Alex, sounding supremely satisfied.

Bradley shared a grin with Colin – and in they dived.

♦


End file.
